The Cochlear Implant Journey

As Much Empathy as I Thought Was Necessary

Kate is 6 years old and lives in the Cape Town area with her family. Kate’s father is an anesthesiologist and works at the cochlear implant center at the hospital. This provides him with a unique personal and professional perspective on having a child with a cochlear implant. Kate’s mother shares the effort it takes to successfully raise a child with a cochlear implant.

Team Connor

Connor is a nine-year-old boy from Cape Town, South Africa. He attends the Carel du Toit school which is a school for deaf and hard of hearing children. Through interviews with teachers and parents, the film shows the challenges that a family experiences when bringing up a child with a CI. In particular, the film focuses on key transitions such as when the child begins mainstream school.

Less Technical and... a Bit More Personal, I Think

George is 5 years old and lives with his family in Derby, UK. He was born with cerebral palsy and the family considered his deafness a minor thing on the long list of ailments. The film provides a very honest picture of the frustrations and challenges the family has encountered on their journey through the public health system. Their choice of cochlear implant was especially difficult because they were given limited information and professional advice.

You Feel Like You're the Bad Guy All the Time

Calum is a five year old boy born deaf due to his mother having a cytomegalovirus, also known as CMV, while pregnant. Calum is now doing very well in school and his mother is proud of him. The film takes you through all of the thoughts, uncertainties and challenges that go into the decision of getting a CI for a child. The film also portrays a strong mother who does not take no for an answer and who sometimes struggles with the health services in order to get the best care for her son. This short film gives you a very honest picture of what it takes to achieve these goals, even through “you feel like you’re the bad guy all the time.”

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